Publishers from various countries met in Guangzhou on August 28 for the 2026 Southern China Book Fair's International Book Rights Exchange. Alongside licensing deals and signing ceremonies, one subject dominated conversations at the conference: artificial intelligence.
Giovanni Hoepli, Vice President of the International Publishers Association, said the industry's biggest challenge today is AI companies using copyrighted publishing works to train their models without a licence.
South Korean publisher Lee Won-kwang noted that the issue goes beyond training data. He pointed to an experiment by one publishing house to produce a book entirely with AI, "from design all the way to printing."
"No doubt, it involves copyright issues to some extent," he said, arguing that the technology behind such systems must have learned from the way people write and think.
Thai publisher Ken Yu, of Hongsamut.com, admitted the pace of change was unsettling. "Sometimes it makes us wonder if we can keep up with the times," he said.
Yet his response was simple: "We will focus on our own strengths and keep working to create good content."
While criticising the unauthorised use of copyrighted works by AI companies, Hoepli also pointed to the potential applications of AI in publishing, "from accessibility for print-disabled people to marketing or distribution."
The key, he said, is to establish the right rules for its use. China, as a leader in AI, "has the opportunity to set the right framework for strong copyright laws that are effectively enforced."
Outside the conference room, however, the mood was upbeat. Attending the Southern China Book Fair for the first time, Yu said he was impressed by the enthusiasm for reading.
"I just took a walk around outside. There were so many people. I saw parents bringing their children, and seeing this kind of reading atmosphere made me really happy."
Reporter | Chen Siyuan
